Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art
82% goes to programs $15 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art is a 501(c)(3) organization based in New York, New York, registered in 1954, with $144,833,369 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 82% of spending to programs.
30 Cooper Square 2nd Fl, New York, NY, 10003 EIN 13-5562985 Since 1954
Revenue (FY2023)
$144.8M
▼ 1.6% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2023)
$128.3M
Net assets
$876.1M
Employees
1,053
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
AProgram efficiency40% of the rating82% to programs · $15 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art: 82% to programs · $15 to raise $100 earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating82 mo reserves · +11% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art: 82 mo reserves · +11% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The cooper union for the advancement of science and art is an all-honors college that offers degrees in engineering, architecture and fine arts.
What they do
Residence life: the cooper union student residence offers apartment-style housing to 156 students. the facility is staffed by professional and graduate student staff and eight undergraduate resident assistants. the residential life staff hosts social, educational, and cultural programs aimed at building a strong community, increasing appreciation for diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and helping students transition to life in new york city and at the cooper union.
Contact & location
- Address
- 30 Cooper Square 2nd Fl, New York, NY, 10003
- City
- New York
- State
- New York
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Colleges & Universities
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $58.7M (FY2013) to $144.8M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $339.5MNet assets $876.1M
Operating margin
11.4%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$1.2B
Total liabilities
$339.5M
Net assets
$876.1M
Salaries & benefits
$49.0M
38% of expenses
Board members
25
22 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $144,833,369▼1.6% | $128,281,914▲6.5% | $876,117,508▲4.4% | $1,215,652,042▲2.1% | 990 |
| 2022 | $147,251,165▼2.0% | $120,427,683▲3.1% | $839,105,823▲1.0% | $1,190,263,080▲0.9% | 990 |
| 2021 | $150,236,998▲10.8% | $116,765,732▲6.3% | $831,096,658▲1.6% | $1,179,884,614▼1.1% | 990 |
| 2020 | $135,635,048▲12.6% | $109,834,116▲0.9% | $817,912,345▲8.9% | $1,192,737,106▲6.9% | 990 |
| 2019 | $120,466,759▼9.3% | $108,823,239▲1.1% | $750,927,205▲2.1% | $1,115,708,905▲1.3% | 990 |
| 2018 | $132,756,925▲20.9% | $107,635,262▲0.6% | $735,531,411▲9.4% | $1,101,678,183▲5.3% | 990 |
| 2017 | $109,817,197▲8.7% | $107,029,340▼4.1% | $672,307,137▲4.1% | $1,046,137,842▲2.5% | 990 |
| 2016 | $100,998,056▲10.4% | $111,555,420▲1.2% | $645,714,325▲2.3% | $1,021,062,990▲0.1% | 990 |
| 2015 | $91,490,654▲59.4% | $110,261,413▲44.7% | $630,898,132▲1.0% | $1,019,568,707▲1.7% | 990 |
| 2014 | $57,386,181▼2.3% | $76,194,105▲5.7% | $624,425,242▼1.1% | $1,002,719,838▲6.3% | 990 |
| 2013 | $58,732,381 | $72,052,178▲8.4% | $631,546,441▲7.0% | $943,665,201▲4.3% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $66,465,617▼2.4% | $590,221,783▲2.4% | $904,480,210▲1.1% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $68,069,858▼1.2% | $576,235,352 | $894,482,969▲0.5% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $68,868,967▲5.1% | $576,032,253▲2.8% | $889,656,623▲1.2% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $65,502,719 | $560,124,086 | $879,082,554 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Laura Sparks — $626,817 (0.49% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Sparks | President | 33 | $626,817 |
| Barry Shoop | Dean/prof. of Engineering | 35 | $406,361 |
| Mark Campbell | Vp-enrollment | 35 | $325,157 |
| Natalie Brooks | Chief Talent Officer | 35 | $320,286 |
| John Ruth | Vp-fin/admin, Treasurer | 33 | $314,015 |
| Mike Essl Till 124 | Dean/prof. of Art | 35 | $284,302 |
| Robert Reinckens | Chief Tech Officer | 35 | $269,854 |
| Nader Tehrani | Dean/prof. of Architecture | 35 | $250,900 |
| Terri Coppersmith | Vp-development | 35 | $248,441 |
| Christopher Chamberlin | Dean of Students | 35 | $229,044 |
| Anthony Vidler Till 1023 | Prof. of Architecture | 35 | $224,670 |
| Mili Shah | Prof. of Mathematics | 35 | $213,795 |
| Demetrius Eudell | Vp-academic Affairs | 35 | $209,563 |
| Adriana Farmiga From 124 | Dean/prof. of Art | 35 | $155,267 |
| Charlotte Wessell | Secretary | 33 | $140,773 |
| Aftab Hussain | Vice Chair - Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Anna Brook From 624 | Member - Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Anne Chao | Member - Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Anthony Ianno | Member - Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
| Avery Singer From 624 | Member - Board of Trustees | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Preserv Building Restoration Management | Construction | $2,418,593 |
| Universal Protection Serv | Security | $1,926,568 |
| Ug2 LLC | Custodial | $1,564,969 |
| Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP | Legal Services | $1,159,597 |
| Setanta Inc | Construction | $831,860 |
Grants received · $9.5M total
124 grants to Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art totaling $9.5M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $450,000 |
| The New York Community Trust | For a fellowship program. | 2024 | $54,760 |
| Charities Aid Foundation America | Charitable donation | 2024 | $20,093 |
| The New York Community Trust | For a scholarship award. | 2024 | $13,000 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $12,500 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $8,362 |
| Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund | General support | 2024 | $5,100 |
| Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc | Unrestricted general support | 2024 | $5,000 |
| The Chicago Community Trust | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | 2023 | $519,500 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $301,468 |
| Robin Hood Foundation | Poverty relief | 2023 | $250,000 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $148,000 |
| Jewish Community Federation of S F Marin Peninsula & Sonoma Counties | Education | 2023 | $100,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $97,001 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Environment, animals | 2023 | $65,800 |
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Compare Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art
Frequently asked questions
- Is Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 13-5562985, based in New York, New York. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art's EIN?
- Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 13-5562985.
- How much revenue does Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art report?
- Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art reported $144,833,369 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art's spending goes to programs?
- Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art spends about 82% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art have?
- CharityIndex grades Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art's latest Form 990 is $626,817, paid to Laura Sparks (President).
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Data for Cooper Union For the Advancement of Science and Art (EIN 13-5562985) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.